Hungary
Long-term residence in Hungary
After 3 years of legal residence in Hungary you can apply for a national residence card; after 5 years, for an EU residence card.
Onboard Golden Visa · Hungary
Ten years in Europe, with a single investment
Hungary's guest investor programme grants a 10-year residence permit for investments starting at EUR 250,000, renewable for another 10 years. There is no minimum stay requirement, your family can come with you and work without restriction, and the time counts towards settlement. We handle your case from choosing the investment to the delivery of the permit.
Hungary
The programme in brief
- Who it is for
- A non-EEA national who makes one of the two investments
- Investment
- a) at least EUR 250,000 in investment fund shares of a qualified real estate fund registered by the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB), Hungary's central bank; b) a donation of at least EUR 1,000,000 to a higher education institution maintained by a public interest trust foundation
- Holding period
- At least 5 years, in a blocked securities account
- Validity
- Visa 6 months → residence permit 10 years
- Renewal
- By up to another 10 years (OIF guidance)
- Family
- Spouse and child under 18 – for 10 years, with unrestricted access to work
- spouse : yes
- child under 18 : yes
- parent : no
for 10 years, with unrestricted access to work
- Minimum stay requirement
- None; the 90/180-day rule is not checked at renewal either
- Appearance in person
- Yes: at the consulate for the visa, in Hungary for biometric enrolment
- Administrative time limit
- Permit: 21 days; visa: no official time limit
- Official fees
- Visa EUR 110; permit HUF 26,000 (online) or HUF 39,000 (in person); the same for each family member
- Route to settlement
- Two routes from one permit. If you move to Hungary: a national residence card after 3 years of residence, naturalisation after 8 years of residence. If not: the permit runs for 10 + 10 years with no minimum stay requirement – without settlement or citizenship
Benefits
Why it works for you
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You do not have to move to Hungary
There is no minimum stay: the permit remains valid even if you spend most of the year elsewhere.
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Ten years, then ten more
Most European investor programmes grant a 1–5-year permit; this one grants ten, or twenty with renewal.
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Full rights for your family
Your spouse and children under 18 receive a permit of the same length and can work and run a business in Hungary without restriction.
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An investment, not money spent
You can sell the real estate fund shares after 5 years; with the investment option, the programme does not ask for a donation or a fee.
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Two routes from one permit
If you move to Hungary, you can apply for a national residence card after 3 years of residence and for naturalisation after 8. If you do not move, the permit runs for 10 + 10 years with no minimum stay requirement – without settlement or citizenship. At pre-screening we decide together which route to plan for.
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A fast procedure
The administrative time limit for the permit application is 21 days.
Who it is for
Who it is for – and who it is not for
Who it is for
- An investor or entrepreneur seeking a European base and freedom to travel, without moving straight away.
- A family seeking a stable permit for their children's European studies or a second home.
- Anyone with long-term plans for settlement or citizenship, needing a permit that counts towards them.
Who it is not for
- Anyone planning to qualify by buying a home: since late 2024 this is no longer possible.
- Anyone unable to prove the investment's source with documents or taxed income.
- Anyone withdrawing the investment within 5 years.
Requirements
Requirements and documents
Requirements
- Third-country nationality.
- Investment within the visa's validity (6 months); for visa-exempt applicants, within 6 months of first lawful entry (OIF guidance). The OIF guidance also mentions 3 months for making the investment – we work to the shorter time limit. Visa-exempt nationals can then apply directly in Hungary.
- For the real estate fund: the manager is registered with the MNB and on the register of qualified market operators; at least 40% of the fund's net asset value is Hungarian residential property; the shares are held continuously for 5 years in a blocked securities sub-account.
- Proof of accommodation in Hungary.
- Proof of the source of funds: a public document, a private document with full probative force, or proof of taxable income.
- For the visa: health insurance and means of subsistence.
Documents required
- Application form, valid passport, 1 passport photo
- Proof of accommodation (tenancy agreement, land registry extract, free-of-charge use of a home or booking)
- For a planned investment: a declaration and a bank confirmation of the available amount
- For a completed investment: confirmation from the fund manager or distributor (ISIN, number of units) and the account provider's confirmation of the 5-year block; for a donation, the university's confirmation of receipt
- Proof of the source of funds
- Proof of health insurance and means of subsistence (for the visa)
- Certified Hungarian translation of documents not in English
Reasons for refusal
Why applications are refused – and how we prevent it
The guest investor visa and permit are governed by Sections 16 and 22 of Act XC of 2023 on the general rules for the entry and residence of third-country nationals (Btátv.). Refusals typically come not from a lack of money, but from deadlines, the form of investment and proof of the source of funds.
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Not a qualified fund
Only a real estate fund whose manager is registered by the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB) and on the register of qualified market operators is accepted, and the fund must invest at least 40% of its net asset value in residential property in Hungary. Buying property is not a form of investment under the Act in force.
We: work only with funds on the register and recheck the fund's listing before submission.
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A missed deadline
The permit application must be submitted within 30 days of first entry; the investment must be made within the visa's validity (for visa-exempt applicants, within 6 months of first entry) and proven unprompted. The authority's guidance mentions 3 months for making the investment – we work to the shorter time limit.
We: keep a schedule from the day of entry.
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Source of funds not proven
For the visa, the lawful source of the investment amount must be proven and the investment undertaken in writing; if the investment does not appear likely, the visa is refused.
We: prepare the proof of the source of funds (sale, dividends, inheritance, business income) in advance.
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Translation
Documents not in English need a certified Hungarian translation.
We: arrange it.
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General grounds for exclusion
An entry ban, public order or national security grounds, false information; for the visa, a national security opinion is prepared.
We: check these at pre-screening.
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Risk after the permit
The fund shares must be held for 5 years; if they are likely no longer held, the permit must be withdrawn; for renewal after 10 years, the shares must still be held (not a condition for a donation). No minimum stay in Hungary is required.
We: set this out in writing when you receive the permit.
Legal basis: Act XC of 2023 (Btátv.), Section 16, Section 22, Sections 224/A–224/B, Section 227; Government Decree 35/2024 (II. 29.), Section 13/A; the OIF frequently asked questions (March 2026).
Process
How the process works
In total typically 4–6 months
- Pre-screening and choosing the investment duration: 1–2 weeks
- Visa application at the consulate duration: no official time limit
- Entry and making the investment duration: within the 6 months of the visa
- Permit application, biometric enrolment, processing duration: 21 days + requests for missing documents
- Document duration: delivery by post
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1. step: Pre-screening and choosing the investment
we introduce the fund managers on the register and clarify how to prove the source of funds.
Duration: 1–2 weeks
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2. step: Entry and making the investment
within the visa's validity (for visa-exempt applicants, within 6 months of first entry); proof uploaded to the Enter Hungary system.
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3. step: Permit application
within 30 days of first entry, online or in person; biometric enrolment and fee payment within 15 days.
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4. step: Processing
21 days; the time until the investment is proven and any request for missing documents do not count.
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5. step: Document
delivered by post. Family members can apply in parallel; their residence starts after the main applicant's permit.
Who does what
What we handle – what you need to do
We
- pre-screening
- introducing registered fund managers and making contact
- compiling the proof of the source of funds
- preparing the visa application
- arranging accommodation
- uploading the proof of investment
- submitting the permit application and booking the biometric appointment
- family members' applications
- renewal at least 30 days before expiry
You
- the investment decision and making the investment
- original documents on the source of funds
- appearing in person at the consulate and for biometric enrolment
- holding the investment for 5 years
- reporting changes within 5 days
Afterwards
After the permit
- at the start Guest investor permit for 10 years (permit)
- year 3 National residence card available (if you live in Hungary) (settlement)
- year 8 Naturalisation possible after 8 years in Hungary (citizenship)
- year 10 Renewal for a further 10 years (if you have not moved to Hungary) (renewal)
Two routes from one permit: if you move to Hungary, you can settle after 3 years and naturalise after 8; if not, the permit runs for 10 + 10 years with no minimum stay requirement – without settlement or citizenship.
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Renewal
once, for another 10 years, online, at least 30 days before expiry.
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Work and business
without restriction; you can also hold an executive position.
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Settlement
a national residence card after 3 years of legal, uninterrupted residence; absences must be shorter than 4 months at a time and no more than 270 days over 3 years.
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Citizenship
naturalisation can be requested after 8 years in Hungary (holding the national residence card and a registered domicile); after 3 years with a Hungarian spouse. This route is not open to those who do not move to Hungary.
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Investment
after 5 years the fund shares can be sold; the permit remains in place until renewal.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy property to qualify?
No. The residential property option was removed as of 30 December 2024; the two valid routes: EUR 250,000 in fund shares of a qualified real estate fund, or a EUR 1,000,000 donation to a higher education institution.
Do I have to live in Hungary?
No. There is no minimum stay, and the 90/180-day rule is not checked at renewal either. For settlement or citizenship, however, you need to actually live in Hungary.
Can my family work?
Yes, without restriction. Family members' permits are also valid for 10 years, renewable for 10.
What happens to the investment after 5 years?
You can sell the fund shares once the 5-year block ends. Returns from the fund are not guaranteed; you decide on the investment yourself, based on the fund manager's prospectus.
News
Related news
Sources
Sources and updates
Last checked:
- OIF – guest investor visa (opens in a new tab)
- OIF – guest investor residence permit (opens in a new tab)
- OIF – guest investor programme FAQ (opens in a new tab)
- OIF – qualified market list of real estate fund managers (opens in a new tab)
- Act XC of 2023 (Btátv.), Sections 16 and 22 – National Legislation Database (opens in a new tab)
- Government Decree 35/2024 (II. 29.), Section 13/A – requirements for the qualified real estate fund (opens in a new tab)